Legendary Kwaito artiste Doc Shebeleza passes on
Renowned South African music icon Victor Bogopane popularly known as Doc Shebeleza is dead.
His demise was confirmed in a heartbreaking announcement by family spokesperson Shakes Mavundla.
The legendary kwaito artiste, known for his immense contributions to the music industry, died at home at the age of 51 years.
Speaking to News24, a South African news outlet, Mavundla provided a few details on Shebeleza’s condition. “Victor Bogopane died at 10:30 this morning (Thursday) at home,” he said.
He explained that the legendary musician had visited his family earlier that morning before planning to return to hospital for a second operation on Monday.
The spokesperson did not provide specifics about the cause of death, but confirmed that Shebeleza had been undergoing medical treatment.
“He was going back on Monday in preparation for his second operation. He is survived by his mother, brother, sister and nine children,” Mavundla said.
In the wake of his passing, Mavundla urged fans and the public to stay tuned for funeral arrangements.
“We will release all relevant information regarding the funeral and related details through our social media channels,” he added.
Doc Shebeleza is survived by nine children, six boys and three girls.
He leaves behind a legacy of music that has resonated with generations of South Africans and music lovers across the world.
His compositions such as Ingagara, S’kumfete, Ebumnandini, and Ghets Ghetsa made him a popular kwaito artiste in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Doc Shebeleza was born in Soweto where he began making music from an early age.
He grew up in a family that valued cultural expression, and was introduced to music styles ranging from kwaito to traditional South African music.
He was inspired by Brenda Fassie and Mandoza, one of the pioneers of kwaito genre
In 1995, he released his first album Shebeleza featuring the hit Ghets Ghetsa.
This was followed by S’kumfete, which featured a hit with the same name. After that, he released three more albums: Tiger (1997), Ebumnandini (2000), and Jiva Yoyo (2001).
For his immense contribution in music, Shebelea won the Mzansi Kwaito and House Music Awards Lifetime Award in 2018.
The song Doc Shebeleza by South African musician Cassper Nyovest paid tribute to Shebelea.
In 2014 rapper L-Tido sampled Ghets Ghetsa for his song Steve Kekana.
